Automation Engineer

The Role

Joining Moderna means advancing mRNA science to transform medicine. Work with exceptional global teams on a broad pipeline and build a career that makes a real difference for patients.

Moderna is strengthening its presence in Melbourne, a leading biotech hub in Australia. Our team drives commercial operations to bring our mRNA medicines to patients nationwide. We welcome global professionals committed to making a meaningful impact.

This role offers the opportunity to provide hands-on automation engineering support within Moderna’s Drug Product manufacturing environment, focused on fill/finish equipment and associated control systems. Operating in a fast-paced GMP manufacturing setting, you will play a critical role in ensuring automation systems remain reliable, compliant, and optimized to support continuous manufacturing operations across Australia.

Working closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, MS&T, IT/OT, and global technical teams, you will troubleshoot complex automation challenges, support PLC/SCADA infrastructure, and contribute across the full equipment lifecycle including commissioning, validation, reliability, and continuous improvement initiatives. The role also offers exposure to advanced digital manufacturing technologies, integration platforms, and emerging AI-enabled operational tools supporting the future of biotech manufacturing.

As an individual contributor within a 24/7 operational environment, you will help drive technical excellence across manufacturing systems while ensuring GMP compliance, inspection readiness, data integrity, and operational continuity.

Here's What You’ll Do

• Provide day-to-day automation support for Drug Product fill/finish manufacturing equipment and associated control systems.
• Support reliable operation of automated manufacturing processes to maintain uptime, throughput, and product quality.
• Troubleshoot equipment, automation, and system issues across manufacturing operations.
• Respond to alarms, system faults, and deviations while supporting investigations, issue resolution, and recovery activities.
• Participate in daily tier meetings to prioritize, track, and resolve automation-related issues impacting operations.
• Support operational coverage aligned to site manufacturing needs within a 24/7 GMP environment.
• Support PLC, SCADA, and associated digital manufacturing systems, including troubleshooting and fault finding activities.
• Contribute to system configuration, testing, and automation improvements across manufacturing platforms.
• Support and maintain interfaces between manufacturing equipment, control systems, network infrastructure, MES platforms, and historian systems.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal stakeholders and external vendors to resolve integration and automation issues.
• Maintain automation system compliance in alignment with GMP and Computer System Validation (CSV) requirements.
• Perform root cause analysis activities and implement corrective and preventative actions to improve system reliability and operational performance.
• Partner with vendors to track technical issues through resolution and closure.
• Support maintenance and reliability strategies designed to optimize equipment and automation performance.
• Assist with FAT, SAT, CQV, commissioning, qualification, and validation lifecycle activities for manufacturing systems and equipment.
• Participate in design reviews and support implementation activities for automation-related projects.
• Coordinate automation scope across vendors and cross-functional teams to support project delivery and operational readiness.
• Support deviations, CAPAs, change controls, and associated quality system activities.
• Maintain accurate GMP documentation and support audit and inspection readiness activities.
• Ensure compliance with GMP, safety, cybersecurity, and data integrity requirements across automation and manufacturing systems.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives focused on manufacturing digitization, automation modernization, and operational excellence.
• Support adoption of advanced digital manufacturing capabilities and opportunities to leverage AI-enabled technologies to improve manufacturing insight, reliability, and efficiency.

The key Moderna Mindsets you’ll need to succeed in the role:

• We obsess over learning. We don’t have to be the smartest we have to learn the fastest.
• We digitize everywhere possible using the power of code to maximize our impact on patients.

Here’s What You’ll Need (Basic Qualifications) 

• 3–6 years’ experience in GMP manufacturing or similar.

• Demonstrated experience with PLC/SCADA systems developing and supporting applications to operate highly automated equipment and systems.

• Demonstrated experience with virtualization configuration and trouble shooting.

• Microsoft enterprise system integration (i.e. Active Directory, SQL)

• Industrial Automation protocols (i.e. Ethernet IP, Modbus, OPC).

• Understanding of GMP and CSV.

• Strong troubleshooting and communication skills working with a cross-functional team.

• Experience with fill/finish or drug product manufacturing.

• Demonstrated experience developing with Rockwell, Siemens, Wonderware, PI, MES).

• Demonstrated experience supporting CQV / validation.
  Good understanding of electrical design, drives, instrumentation.

• This position is site-based, requiring you to be at Moderna’s site full-time. This position is not eligible for remote work.

• As part of Moderna’s commitment to workplace health and safety, this role may be subject to pre-employment and periodic medical assessments, in line with relevant legal and operational requirements.

Here’s What You’ll Bring to the Table (Preferred Qualifications)

• BENg Electrical, Electronics, Mechatronics, or Computer systems.

Pay & Benefits

At Moderna, we believe that when you feel your best, you can do your best work.  That’s why our global benefits and well-being resources are designed to support you—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

• Best-in-class healthcare, plus voluntary benefit programs to support your unique needs

• A holistic approach to well-being with access to fitness, mindfulness, and mental health support

• Family building benefits, including fertility, adoption, and surrogacy support

• Generous paid time off, including vacation, bank holidays, volunteer days, sabbatical, global recharge days, and a discretionary year-end shutdown

• Savings and investments to help you plan for the future

• Location-specific perks and extras

The benefits offered may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Moderna and the country where you work.

About Moderna

Since our founding in 2010, we have aspired to build the leading mRNA technology platform, the infrastructure to reimagine how medicines are created and delivered, and a world-class team. We believe in giving our people a platform to change medicine and an opportunity to change the world.  

By living our mission, values, and mindsets every day, our people are the driving force behind our scientific progress and our culture. Together, we are creating a culture of belonging and building an organization that cares deeply for our patients, our employees, the environment, and our communities. 

We are proud to have been recognized as a Science Magazine Top Biopharma Employer, a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators, and a Great Place to Work in the U.S. 

As we build our company, we have always believed an in-person culture is critical to our success. Moderna champions the significant benefits of in-office collaboration by embracing a 70/30 work model. This 70% in-office structure helps to foster a culture rich in innovation, teamwork, and direct mentorship. Join us in shaping a world where every interaction is an opportunity to learn, contribute, and make a meaningful impact. 

If you want to make a difference and join a team that is changing the future of medicine, we invite you to visit modernatx.com/careers to learn more about our current opportunities. 

Moderna is a smoke-free, alcohol-free, and drug-free work environment. 

Moderna is a place where everyone can grow. If you meet the Basic Qualifications for the role and you would be excited to contribute to our mission every day, please apply! 

Moderna is committed to equal opportunity in employment and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry or citizenship, ethnicity, disability, military or protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, or any other personal characteristic protected under applicable law. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 

We’re focused on attracting, retaining, developing, and advancing our employees. By cultivating a workplace that values diverse experiences, backgrounds, and ideas, we create an environment where every employee can contribute their best. 

Moderna is committed to offering reasonable accommodation or adjustments to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation or adjustment in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should contact the Accommodations and Adjustments team at leavesandaccommodations@modernatx.com. 

-